In Search Of Silence

There is another kind of nature recording going on out there. I have found most nature recordings to be too loud and/or too busy. One exception is the work of Gordon Hempton, who is dedicated to finding that rare instance of natural sound unencumbered by distraction. I found his recording “Old Growth” over twenty years ago, and it has been a steady companion in my quest for moments of effective meditation. Here is a clip from a documentary about Hempton entitled “Soundtracker,” which clearly shows how his philosophy affects how he records.

Visionaries like Hempton are not in it for the money. He has even founded a non-profit organization to attempt to preserve one particular location in Olympic National Park which he has identified as “silent”.

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